7A EXISTENTIALISM Unit structure 7A.0 Objectives 7A.1 Introduction 7A.2 Distinct Features of Existentialism 7A.3 Exponents of Existentialism 7A.4 Themes in Existentialism 7A.5 Educational Philosophy of Existentialism 7A.6 Critical Evaluation 7A.7 Summary 7A.0 OBJECTIVES After reading this unit you will be able to : Understand the concept of existentialism. Explain features of existentialism. Identify the exponents of existentialism & their views. Deliberate on some themes
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“We do not know what we want and yet we are responsible for what we are—that is the fact” (Nastasi). This quote represents various aspects of the existentialist beliefs that made Sartre well-known amongst the public. Sartre’s basic concept of existentialism centers around the idea that humans are self-constructing‚ self-creating beings whose lives are given purpose by the choices they make and that they are solely responsible for those choices‚ regardless of the outcome. In his play The Flies‚ Sartre
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Waiting for Godot: Existentialism and Christianity In modern day society‚ individuals usually experience the same routine over and over again‚ but rarely become aware of the drudgery of daily life. These people are unable to achieve a higher level of existence by being uniform. Waiting for Godot‚ by Samuel Beckett‚ is an existential play where two men are stuck in the same routine day after day. They sit around all day waiting for the inevitable arrival of a man named Godot‚ who seems like he will
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responsible for the birth of existentialist thought. Existentialism is the theory that individuals are independent beings and are free to exercise their own free will. It focuses on questions such as: Do humans have a predetermined essence or do they live completely free from restrictions? If a divine creator does exist‚ what is its true nature? And whether the universe is indifferent to human existence. This paper takes a deeper look into existentialism and how it can apply to literature. Mary Shelley’s
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Existentialism is a philosophy of existence that asks what the nature of human existence is. Albert Camus’ The Stranger is an existentialist novel because it represents three main ideas in the philosophy of existentialism: absurdity‚ death‚ and emotions. Absurdity according to an existentialist means life has no meaning or ultimate purpose‚ humans need to make sense and have purpose. Throughout The Stranger Meursault experiences many absurd act‚ for instance “Gentleman of the jury‚ the day after
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Cartesian Skepticism to Existentialism The nature of our reality and existence has been a topic of debate since at least the ancient Greeks. Do we exist? Why do we exist? Does it even matter? These are questions I will attempt to address thoroughly. Answers may not be comfortable or satisfactory‚ but it’s better to rip that band-aid off now than continue blindly in the dark. Rationalism and Empiricism have both attempted to prove existence‚ but at their most extremes they fall apart. Using
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Existentialism In The Stranger and The Metamorphosis Have you ever contemplated whether or not your life‚ or even life in general‚ has meaning or purpose? Have you ever wondered why we are here or why we have responsibilities or even why we think of things as we do? This series of questions that an individual might ask in his or her own mind all point to a philosophy known as existentialism. Existentialism explores the uselessness of the human’s responsibility to make choices‚ perform actions
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the opinions of their loved ones‚ others do not forget to factor the ideals of human existentialism. In order to appropriately approach the point brought across‚ one must factor in the underlying tone of the existentialist values of ‘The Metamorphosis’ as written by Frank Kafka. Although many existentialist philosophers hold conflicting values across the board‚ there are many key traits that follow existentialism. Therefore‚ I am inclined to‚ due to my level of understanding remain impartial towards
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was somewhat of a slave to his instincts. But were they even his? And thus‚ my own curiosity over existentialism and naturalism began. Though Richard Wright’s Native Son encompasses several traditional values of existentialism‚ the style and themes presented are primarily a reflection of the naturalistic movement in philosophy and literature. The philosophical studies of human beings‚ existentialism and naturalism‚ share a vital amount of similarities. But the distinctions between the two must be
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Existentialism is a philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe‚ regards human existence as unexplainable‚ and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one ’s acts. This philosophy is essentially the crux of the novel The Stranger and not only serves as one of the themes but probably the main reason Albert Camus wrote the book altogether. Presented in first person narration through the eyes
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